The present invention generally relates to data processing techniques, and more specifically, relates to an instant messaging technique for exchanging messages such as chats.
Instant messaging services have rapidly become widespread as communication tools in which computer systems are used. Text messages can be exchanged among computers in which groupware clients are installed in real time by using instant messaging services.
A groupware client can create a contact list for registering partners with which the groupware client exchanges messages on a regular basis. Moreover, a groupware client can exchange messages after checking the status of partners by checking information (referred to as, for example, status information) on the status of the partners, such as “Available”, “In a Meeting”, and “Out of Office”.
For example, regarding instant messaging services, the following techniques have been developed and disclosed.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-241946 discloses a message sending and receiving system that can receive electronic mails or instant messages in response to settings on the side of a recipient. Instant message transfer means determines, on the basis of transfer conditions set by users, where individual instant messages from a server unit are transferred and then transfers the instant messages. A message conversion unit converts instant messages to electronic mails and reversely converts electronic mails to instant messages.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-107893 discloses an IM system in which mobile communication terminals are used to readily implement application sharing. Individual user terminals and BOTs 300 (IM clients) exchange instant messages (IMs) with each other via a server. When an IM client has established a session, the server assigns a session ID to the session and indicates the session ID to the corresponding IM client. When the IM client sends a message, the IM client sends information indicating the destinations of the message and the indicated session ID as presence information. When the server has received a message from the IM client, the server determines, on the basis of the presence information received together with the message, session participating members, the destinations of the message, and the like and controls, on the basis of the result of the determination, destinations to which the message is relayed to allow a plurality of users to share applications provided by the BOTs 300 or cause a plurality of the BOTs 300 to cooperate with each other.
PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2005-535012 discloses a method and an apparatus for allowing an animated talking character to appear on a user's screen when conducting an instant messaging session. The character to be displayed on the user's screen is determined by a profile for the sender of a message. This allows a user to pre-select which character will be displayed on a screen for a recipient of an instant message.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2006-351020 discloses a method for operating a communication device to handle at least two simultaneous communication sessions. The method includes providing a user interface that includes a first portion for handling a first communication session and a second portion for causing a second communication session to invoke a switch, switching the first portion of the GUI to handle the second communication session in response to user's input for invoking the switch, and displaying a notification at the second portion in response to at least an activity in the second communication session while the first communication session is handled at the first portion, the notification including a contact portion for identifying a contact that is a subject of the notification and an activity portion for identifying the activity of the contact, which is the subject of the notification.
PCT Japanese Translation Patent Publication No. 2006-501578 discloses a method including a step of receiving an instant message in a first instant messaging format from a data processing device, a step of determining a first IM service to which the instant message is directed, a step of reformatting the instant message in a second IM format that is compatible with the first IM service, and a step of sending the first IM service the instant message in the second IM format.
A wireless instant message service provided by NTT DATA Corporation, provides a service in which answers to a question are prepared in advance as a form and sent to a user, and then the user who has received the form can send an answer to the question by pressing buttons of a mobile phone (see NTT DATA Corporation, “2002 News Release, NTT DATA has developed AirBridge™, Air Messenger™, and Air Messenger Bot™ that enable wireless instant messaging”, Mar. 20, 2002.)